A PROMINENT horse racing and polo identity was manipulated by a "seasoned criminal" to conspire to import large amounts of cocaine into Australia, her defence barrister has argued.
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Felicity Fraser wiped away tears as she fronted a sentence hearing in Newcastle District Court on Thursday.
The 43-year-old worked in an administrative role for her boss, co-offender Peter Leslie Ritson, for a company attempting to bring in shipments of drugs from South America between 2017 and 2021.
Barrister Lang Goodsell detailed to the court the personal and financial stresses Fraser had been dealing with when she took a job working for Ritson, who she had known for a few years, at his new company.
"This seasoned criminal offers her the magic solution," Ms Goodsell said.
She argued that Ritson had made Fraser an offer too good to be true while she was at a very vulnerable point in her life.
Ms Goodsell said while others involved in the scheme stood to make millions from importing the drugs, Fraser had collected a modest wage over the years of $38,000, and a bit of what was described in court as "Christmas cash".
"She's not at the table, she's out preparing the tea," Ms Goodsell said.
She submitted that Ritson was effectively looking for someone with no criminal history to be the "fall person for his illegal company".
"I've tried to emphasise the power difference," she said.
The court heard Fraser had not known exactly what the company was importing at the time she took the administrative job.
"There was a gradual dawning of exactly what she'd gotten herself into," Ms Goodsell said.
She handed up specialist reports and character references, and said the Upper Hunter community had been shocked by her offending.
Fraser remains behind bars but appeared in court in person for the proceedings, supported by her elderly parents.
Crown prosecutor Rebecca Suters argued Fraser must have become aware of the plan to import large amounts of cocaine by the time the first shipment of teak wood arrived in 2018, though no drugs were on board.
Ms Suters said while Fraser "didn't have a seat at the table", her role was significant and Ritson needed her to carry it out.
She said that without Fraser's administrative skills, the four importation attempts "would not have occurred".
Ms Suters argued that the offender may have stayed involved as long as she did because she was waiting for the financial windfall, and that just as there was no cocaine, there was limited reward.
The Crown case is that the company Fraser was working for - paying the bills and taxes and organising the logistics of the attempted importations - was created in August 2017 and she took on her role shortly after.
The court heard she last had contact with Ritson in October 2021, and there were calls going on before that about where shipping containers were amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fraser was arrested in February 2022.
She has pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of a border controlled drug, which detectives levelled in connection to the attempted importation of 1050kg of cocaine in four shipments from overseas.
Judge Peter McGrath will consider reports and written submissions from the Crown and defence before handing down his sentence in Newcastle District Court next month.
Ritson has previously pleaded guilty to a string of charges and is expected to front sentencing later this year.
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Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
